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Prague (dpa) - The Czech Republic has filed a lawsuit with the European Court of Justice (ECJ) against the expansion of the Polish Turow open-cast coal mine.
The government announced in Prague on Friday evening.
"The continued operation endangers our citizens, our water and our nature," said Environment Minister Richard Brabec.
The huge opencast mine in the extreme southwest of Poland is close to the border with the Czech Republic and Saxony.
The majority owner of the operator PGE is the Polish state.
The Czech Republic accuses the government in Warsaw of violating the EU directive on cross-border testing of environmental compatibility when approving the expansion plans.
In addition, the public in the neighboring country was denied access to information and participation in the proceedings.
Critics of coal mining fear, among other things, a further lowering of the groundwater level and an increase in dust pollution in the triangle.
It was said in Prague that negotiations would continue to be held on compensation in order to eventually reach an extrajudicial solution.
It is extremely rare for one EU Member State to bring another before a court based in Luxembourg.
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© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210226-99-613015 / 3
Communication, in Czech